Q&A with Craftgasm

What is your craft all about?
{craftgasm} is a way to show reclaimed materials in a new light. People are usually surprised when I tell them that their notecard used to be part of an advertisement, or that the envelope they're holding really was a road map at one point. They think I went out and bought these brand new materials to make stuff. I don't. Everything's been saved from its fate at the landfill, where it would just junk up the planet. Now it's able to be mailed off to brighten a friend's day.

What inspires you to make what you make?

I like rescuing pretty papers and items with a history. Every so often I promise myself that I won't bring any more paper into the house, but then a pile of vintage file folders calls my name from my office's recycling bin, and their pre-printed text and gorgeously faded inks entice me to carry them home and tuck them away, magpie-like.

What is your favorite piece/product you will have with you at the Handmade Mart?

My favorite item I'll have at the Handmade Mart is the Reclaimed & Upcycled Stationery Sets. They consist of envelopes made out of old maps, blueprints, and plans, with sheets of saved-from-the-landfill mix and match paper that fold in half to slip inside each envelope. The papers themselves are gridded pages from architects' plans, lined papers from student notebooks, and blank colored pages from office carbon copies. They're so fun to make and assemble because no two sets are alike.

Where can folks find your craft outside the Handmade Mart?

At Etsy.com, of course, with 175,484,904,738 of my closest friends. http://craftgasm.etsy.com.

Find me at booth #3!

Check out Pyramid Atlantic!

The Pyramid Atlantic Art Center has been a integral part of the Handmade Mart. Pyramid Atlantic is a huge supporter of the local arts community, and they will be hosting a series of workshops all day long at the Pyramid Atlantic Store during the Mart.

In the Pyramid Atlantic store (924 Ellsworth Drive), they will be providing workshops in jewelry making, screenprinting and papermaking. Vendors from their store will be selling handmade goods on the plaza. Their vendors include Linda Blackbourn from AZ Design, Annette Florin from Frou Frou A Go Go and Mary Westley from Jest 4 Ewe, among others.


Not familiar with Pyramid Atlantic? Jose Dominguez, Pyramid's Executive Director, sheds some light on the fantastic artist resource/gallery/educational organization that he runs...

Pyramid Atlantic is so excited about being part of the Silver Spring Handmade Mart.

For folks who may not know about Pyramid Atlantic, Pyramid Atlantic was founded in Baltimore, MD in 1981 by Helen Frederick, an internationally recognized artist and educator. As the organization grew, requiring more programmatic and administrative space, it relocated to leased facilities in Takoma (DC), Riverdale (MD), until finally purchasing a facility in 2003, and moving to its current home in the heart of the Arts & Entertainment District in Silver Spring, (MD). Today, Pyramid Atlantic is led by Mr. Jose Dominguez, a distinguished ten-year veteran of the Washington community with an established reputation for developing successful youth arts education programs. Over the past 29 years, Pyramid Atlantic has gained recognition as a world leader in contemporary art, while its education programs have engaged the public with offerings in the visual arts for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

The mission of Pyramid Atlantic is to promote and nurture artistic excellence through imaginative programming in the visual arts for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Pyramid Atlantic carries out its mission through our three core programs: Artist-in-Residence Programs, Education Programs, and Exhibitions and Event Programs. Pyramid Atlantic’s Artist in Residence Program provides vital support and encouragement, developing the individual creativity of local, national and international visiting artists, whose on-site activities contribute to the development of the community’s creative learning capacity and provide a powerful tool for uniting the area’s diverse cultural communities. Pyramid Atlantic's Education Programs improve the quality of life for all by providing enrichment to youth and their families, and helping to build community, foster civic engagement, and promote positive self image.Pyramid Atlantic's Exhibitions, Events and Retail Store create economic opportunities resulting in improved quality of life, expanded revenue opportunities, and positive regional and community image.

These programs connect community to the arts via activities designed to spark a dialogue between professional artists and the public.

Handmade Mart Banner Is Up!

The official Handmade Mart Banner is now up, hanging above Ellsworth Drive in all it's glory!






Our festival sponsors have been instrumental in helping us put the Handmade Mart together. From securing the street closure and printing our banners, to providing yummy cupcakes and tasty beer for our vendor party.

Our sponsors are top notch, so check them out and support their businesses that support the handmade community:
Downtown Silver Spring
Pyramid Atlantic
Jackie's Restaurant
Quarry House Tavern
Piratz Tavern
Carmen's Italian Ice
Ambrotos Tattoos
McGinty's Public House
Cakelove
The Paul Green School of Rock Music
Rock-n-Romp
Flying Dog Brewery

Q&A with Evil Brilliant

What is your craft all about?

Evil Brilliant creates fun and creepy crafted items that provide for amusing juxtapositions.

What inspires you to make what you make?

Fiber, the daily news, and the dark recesses of my mind.

What is your favorite piece/product you will have with you at the Handmade Mart?

Embroidered blood spattered pillows.

Where can folks find your craft outside the Handmade Mart?

Items that are both evil and brilliant will be available very soon at EvilBrilliant.etsy.com.

Find me at booth #41!

Q&A with TurningPointe Press

What is your craft all about?

My artist books tend to be autobiographical, touching on universal themes that we experience in life. To keep things light, I simply love the whimsy and joy of my tutu series and inspiring quotes by famous dancers.

While I'm drawn to boxes as a metaphor for rich and layered psychological space, I love having access to beautiful things that are useful in everyday life. My daily journaling inspires the blank journals I create, as well.

What inspires you to make what you make?

My background as a dancer informs both content and form in my work. There is a certain delicacy to my work, made durable by the inner strength of solid and archival materials.

My passion for the book arts started with taking a papermaking workshop at Pyramid Atlantic. I tend to use handmade paper in most of my work - I love the translucency and crispness of abaca, the dance of long strands of kozo in a sheet, and delicate paste paper patterns.

What is your favorite piece/product you will have with you at the Handmade Mart?

A miniature accordion book that transforms into a wearable tutu. I made the paper, sewed layers of tulle and used genuine pointe shoe ribbon from the same dancewear shop – Artistic Dance Fashions in Bethesda – that I got all of my pointe shoes from as a dancer.

Where can folks find your craft outside the Handmade Mart?

On my website http://www.turningpointepress.com and in my Etsy shop: http://www.bookartistko.etsy.com.

Find me at booth #36!

Q&A with Had Matter

What is your craft all about?

My craft is about reusing old materials into functional art. I wantto draw on the history and familiarity of the material I collect tomake new stories and characters.

What inspires you to make what you make?

The materials are the start of my inspiration. The rest comes from my own imagination.

What is your favorite piece/product you will have with you at the Handmade Mart?

I don't have any real favorites.

Where can folks find your craft outside the Handmade Mart?

Eastern Market is my home when I'm not out at other shows. My website has a calendar.

Find me at booth #49!

Q&A with Cherie Lester Mixed Media

What is your craft all about?

My work consists of mixed media collage, painting and photography. Imagery is a mix of realism, abstract shapes, vintage images & papers, handmade paper mixed with acrylics and wax. Many wall hangings are mounted on recycled wood as mini-prints or as larger pieces.

What inspires you to make what you make?

It's all about shape, color, texture, process, layers, design - elements combined to create visual interest. These things form an inspiration of sorts.

What is your favorite piece/product you will have with you at the Handmade Mart?

I just finished a series of original collages on canvas that I'm looking forward to showing.

Where can folks find your craft outside the Handmade Mart?

My blog has info on upcoming shows: http://cherielester.blogspot.com or a small selection of my work is on my etsy site: www.cherielester.etsy.com.

Find me at booth #46!

Q&A with Squidfire

What is your craft all about?

I always like to tell people that we’re two fools that put cartoons on tshirts. We’re all about making people happy, there is no ulterior motive.

What inspires you to make what you make?

The public's reaction to our simple illustrations. People love our stuff and that makes us tick.

What is your favorite piece/product you will have with you at the Handmade Mart?

People have been asking for a Yeti shirt for a long time. I think we got it done right and peoples initial reaction has been strong.

Where can folks find your craft outside the Handmade Mart?

www.squidfire.com or our retail store in Baltimore.

Find us at booth #48!

Q&A with The Paul Green School Of Rock Music!

Explain your band's name and how you formed.
We are students at the Paul Green School of Rock Music in Silver Spring. We are an audition-only band within the school and are selected by our Music Director Colin Behram.

What are your influences and worst equipment experiences?
We play classic rock covers and pick our music based on what we feel like playing at the time. Many of us play in our own bands where we perform original music as well.

What's your favorite local hangout and best stage you've played?
We really like playing at the Santa Fe Café in College Park but truth be told we love playing anywhere, anytime!

Where can the adoring public see you next?
We are playing at Gallery in Silver Spring on May 29 and 30th and June 5 and 6th at 7PM. Check our Upcoming Shows listed on www.SORDC.com .

See The Paul Green School of Rock Music on the music stage at 1:00 pm!

Q&A with Charm City Craft Mafia

What is your craft all about?

The Charm City Craft Mafia is a group of rowdy, creative, talented and (most importantly) crafty folk who work out of Baltimore City - Charm City, USA. We hawk our wares through our websites, at craft shows and local stores. Now we have banded together - crafter a crafter - to build a craftier world where our hip prints, adorable aprons, vintage jewelry, songbird music, bound books, precious pottery, swanky tiles, warm scarves and kitschy clothing is available to all.

CCCM members showing at the Mart include:

HVM Designs


Red Prairie Press


Pink Kiss Pottery


Spaghetti Kiss


Sweet Pepita


Bowerbox Press


Carlybird Weaves

What inspires you to make what you make?

Baltimore, Quirks, Loveliness and Animosity, Nature, Oddity, Color, each other.

What is your favorite piece/product you will have with you at the Handmade Mart?

Bower Box: My favorite piece is my new card featuring a woodcut of 2 birds. This card is one in a series of 5 cards, all woodcuts with hand-set type printed on my antique letterpress.

Sweet Pepita: I'm bringing a ton of Spot-On, Dottie! Recycled Dresses
They're short-sleeved one-of-a-kind toddler a-line t-shirt dresses. Hand sewn from recycled fabric. We use 100% organic cotton for the trim as we find the combination of thick rib knit against soft recycled fabric irresistible!

They're named after Pepita's most favorite person, Miss Dot. On a quiet day you can hear sweet Pepita calling out the window, "Dot! Dot!" Who knew we'd be raising our own little Marlon Brando?

Where can folks find your craft outside the Handmade Mart?

www.charmcitycraftmafia.com is a good starting point! Most of us have websites and are on Etsy—there are links at the Mafia website to our individual sites. Wee!

Find us at booth #26!